Load based tracking assist

Abstract

A system for reverting an actual heading of a mobile construction equipment subject to load from one or more work implements to a desired heading, the mobile construction equipment having a front frame articulatable with respect to a rear frame, the front frame including a steering apparatus, the system including: a rear inertial motion unit disposed on the rear frame, the rear inertial motion unit for providing an actual rear frame yaw rate; a steering sensor for providing an actual steering angle of the steering apparatus; an articulation sensor for providing an actual articulation angle between the front frame and the rear frame; and a controller for: receiving the actual rear frame yaw rate, the actual steering angle, and the actual articulation angle to determine the actual heading, receiving a steering control indicating a desired steering angle of the steering apparatus and an articulation control indicating a desired articulation angle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for reverting an actual heading of a mobile construction equipment subject to load from one or more work implements to a desired heading, the mobile construction equipment having a front frame articulatable with respect to a rear frame, the front frame including a steering apparatus, the system comprising:
 a rear inertial motion unit disposed on the rear frame, the rear inertial motion unit being configured to provide an actual rear frame yaw rate; 
 a steering sensor configured to provide an actual steering angle of the steering apparatus; 
 an articulation sensor configured to provide an actual articulation angle between the front frame and the rear frame; and 
 a controller configured to:
 receive the actual rear frame yaw rate, the actual steering angle, and the actual articulation angle to determine the actual heading, 
 receive a steering control indicating a desired steering angle of the steering apparatus and an articulation control indicating a desired articulation angle between the front frame and the rear frame, 
 determine, based on the desired steering angle and the desired articulation angle, a desired rear frame yaw rate, 
 determine the desired heading based on the desired steering angle, the desired articulation angle, and the desired rear frame yaw rate, 
 determine a heading difference between the actual heading and the desired heading, and 
 based on the heading difference exceeding a threshold, at least one of: adjust the steering control, adjust the articulation control, perform removal of load from the mobile construction equipment, or provide an indication to an operator of the mobile construction equipment. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heading difference comprises differences between the actual rear frame yaw rate and the desired rear frame yaw rate, the actual steering angle and the desired steering angle, and the actual articulation angle and the desired articulation angle. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive configuration parameters indicating which of the one or more work implements are engaged with a work surface on which the mobile construction equipment is operating, and determine a corresponding load associated with each such work implement. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the removal of load from the mobile construction equipment comprises:
 based on the configuration parameters, at least partial disengagement from the work surface of at least one of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein at least partial disengagement from the work surface of at least one of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface comprises at least partial disengagement from the work surface of a plurality of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a satellite positioning unit of a global navigation satellite system configured to provide a heading output, 
 wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive the heading output, and 
 compare the heading output to at least one of the actual heading or the desired heading. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to modify at least one of the actual heading or the desired heading based on the comparison. 
     
     
       8. A method for reverting an actual heading of a mobile construction equipment subject to load from one or more work implements to a desired heading, the mobile construction equipment having a front frame articulatable with respect to a rear frame, the front frame including a steering apparatus, the method comprising:
 receiving an actual rear frame yaw rate from a rear inertial motion unit disposed on the rear frame; 
 receiving an actual steering angle of the steering apparatus; 
 receiving an actual articulation angle between the front frame and the rear frame; 
 determining the actual heading based on the actual rear frame yaw rate, the actual steering angle, and the actual articulation angle; 
 receiving a steering control indicating a desired steering angle of the steering apparatus; 
 receiving an articulation control indicating a desired articulation angle between the front frame and the rear frame; 
 determining, based on the desired steering angle and the desired articulation angle, a desired rear frame yaw rate; 
 determining the desired heading based on the desired steering angle, the desired articulation angle, and the desired rear frame yaw rate; 
 determining a heading difference between the actual heading and the desired heading; and 
 based on the heading difference exceeding a threshold, at least one of: adjusting the steering control, adjusting the articulation control, performing removal of load from the mobile construction equipment, or providing an indication to an operator of the mobile construction equipment. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the heading difference comprises differences between the actual rear frame yaw rate and the desired rear frame yaw rate, the actual steering angle and the desired steering angle, and the actual articulation angle and the desired articulation angle. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving configuration parameters indicating which of the one or more work implements are engaged with a work surface on which the mobile construction equipment is operating; and 
 determining a corresponding load associated with each such work implement. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein performing removal of load from the mobile construction equipment comprises:
 based on the configuration parameters, at least partially disengaging from the work surface at least one of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least partially disengaging from the work surface at least one of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface comprises at least partially disengaging from the work surface a plurality of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving a heading output of a satellite positioning unit of a global navigation satellite system; and 
 comparing the heading output to at least one of the actual heading or the desired heading. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 modifying at least one of the actual heading or the desired heading based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       15. A controller for reverting an actual heading of a mobile construction equipment subject to load from one or more work implements to a desired heading, the mobile construction equipment having a front frame articulatable with respect to a rear frame, the front frame including a steering apparatus, the controller being configured to:
 receive an actual rear frame yaw rate from a rear inertial motion unit disposed on the rear frame; 
 receive an actual steering angle of the steering apparatus; 
 receive an actual articulation angle between the front frame and the rear frame; 
 determine the actual heading based on the actual rear frame yaw rate, the actual steering angle, and the actual articulation angle; 
 receive a steering control indicating a desired steering angle of the steering apparatus; 
 receive an articulation control indicating a desired articulation angle between the front frame and the rear frame; 
 determine, based on the desired steering angle and the desired articulation angle, a desired rear frame yaw rate; 
 determine the desired heading based on the desired steering angle, the desired articulation angle, and the desired rear frame yaw rate; 
 determine a heading difference between the actual heading and the desired heading; and 
 based on the heading difference exceeding a threshold, at least one of: adjust the steering control, adjust the articulation control, perform removal of load from the mobile construction equipment, or provide an indication to an operator of the mobile construction equipment. 
 
     
     
       16. The controller of  claim 15 , wherein the heading difference comprises differences between the actual rear frame yaw rate and the desired rear frame yaw rate, the actual steering angle and the desired steering angle, and the actual articulation angle and the desired articulation angle. 
     
     
       17. The controller of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive configuration parameters indicating which of the one or more work implements are engaged with a work surface on which the mobile construction equipment is operating; and 
 determine a corresponding load associated with each such work implement. 
 
     
     
       18. The controller of  claim 17 , wherein removal of load from the mobile construction equipment comprises:
 based on the configuration parameters, at least partial disengagement from the work surface of at least one of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface. 
 
     
     
       19. The controller of  claim 18 , wherein at least partial disengagement from the work surface of at least one of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface comprises at least partial disengagement from the work surface of a plurality of the one or more work implements that are engaged with the work surface. 
     
     
       20. The controller of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive a heading output of a satellite positioning unit of a global navigation satellite system; 
 compare the heading output to at least one of the actual heading or the desired heading; and 
 modify at least one of the actual heading or the desired heading based on the comparison.